“The temple of his own narcissism”: How Burt Reynolds got his ‘revenge’ on Marlon Brando
Hollywood is an industry driven by egos, and wherever there is ego, there is rivalry. Cinematic rivalries have been commonplace since the very early days of the art form, from the friendly rivalries between silent film-era icons like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to the more vicious rivalries like those of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. One of the most enduring Hollywood rivalries, however, was between iconic action stars Marlon Brando and Burt Reynolds, which stretched on for decades.
Brando boasted an unparalleled career within film, starring in a range of timeless classics, from On the Waterfront to Apocalypse Now. With such a degree of notoriety and acclaim, however, Brando also fostered a famously colossal ego. What’s more, studios and productions would be forced to tolerate the actor’s attitude because, at the end of the day, he’s Marlon Brando; his presence can make or break a motion picture. On more than one occasion, Brando used this influence to attempt to stunt the career of Burt Reynolds.
Getting his start in television back in the 1950s, Burt Reynolds eventually became one of the most recognisable faces in Hollywood, beloved for his roles in films like Smokey and the Bandit, Gator, and Hooper. However, Reynolds might have been even more successful had he not turned down a range of now-iconic roles. At different times, Reynolds was offered Jack Nicholson’s Oscar-winning role in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and a role as Sean Connery’s replacement in the James Bond franchise.
Perhaps the most unbelievable role Reynolds ever turned down was as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. However, there is a long-standing rumour that the actor was refused a role in Coppola’s film because Marlon Brando, who had already been cast in the picture, vetoed Reynolds’ involvement in the production. Whatever the truth of the matter, Brando seemed to foster an unfettered resentment of Reynolds.
Years later, Reynolds was reportedly offered a role in Apocalypse Now, and although he did not end up taking the role, this gave Marlon Brando – who famously arrived on the production out of shape, having not read the source material or learned his lines – another opportunity to denounce Burt Reynolds and his acting ability. He called Reynolds “the epitome of something that makes me want to throw up” and claimed “he worships at the temple of his own narcissism”, among various other strange insults.
To his credit, Reynolds attempted to rise above this rivalry, once telling Brando that he was the finest actor in the world, to which he responded, “I wish I could say the same for you”. So, after multiple years of being bad-mouthed by Brando, Reynolds finally got his revenge on the veteran actor in the form of a sketch performed on Saturday Night Live.
Arguably, parody had been the spark that started the entire feud in the first place, with Reynolds portraying a less-than-favourable version of Brando in a 1963 episode of The Twilight Zone. When he appeared on SNL years later, in 1980, his portrayal of Brando was even less flattering. In the sketch, Gilda Radner’s Barbara Walters parody, Baba Wawa, is interviewing Brando (Reynolds) in bed, but the actor cannot stop eating for long enough to answer any questions.
Okay, it is not the most profound piece of comedy ever aired on SNL, but after years of insults, Reynolds finally managed to get his own back on Brando, attacking him for his notorious weight issues. Unfortunately, the two legendary actors never reconciled after their decades-old rivalry, with Brando passing away in 2004, and Reynolds in 2018.
